Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets

ABSTRACT

A high productivity packaging apparatus and method utilize a drum and a plurality of circularly arranged trap chambers, or traps, which communicate and rotate with the drum as an integral, compact unit. During rotation of the drum, the level of material to be packaged is sensed within the drum and material is fed intermittently into the drum by a positive screw feed to replace material withdrawn. Each trap successively draws from the material stored within the drum a unit of material to be packaged, traps the unit, discharges any excess and during continued rotation directs the material toward a trap outlet for discharge at a discharge station in synchronism with the passage of packet containers. The packet containers are formed in a continuous strip of heat settable, coated, sheet material (e.g., paper, which is slit, folded, and transversely or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;vertically&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; sealed at spaced intervals), are opened by use of pressurized air immediately prior to filling, and after filling are longitudinally or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;horizontally&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; sealed and then cut into individual packets. Registration marks on the strip are detected and are used as a means to adjust the location of the formed containers with reference to the trap outlets.

United States Patent Matthews et a1.

Dec. 2, 1975 154] APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLUID MATERIALS IN PACKETS-[75] Inventors: Ernest L. Matthews; Ralph E.

Matthews, both 0 Decatur, Ala.

[731 Assignee: Matthews Machine Company, Inc.,

Decatur, Ala.

[22] Filed: May 29, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 474,164

{52] US. Cl. 141/144; 53/177; 53/385; 141/238; 214/21; 222/170 [51] Int.Cl. B6513 43/42; B65B 9/06 [58] Field of Search 141/157, 144, 238, 131,141/129, 145; 222/169172; 214/21; 53/385, 180, 177

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,864 8/1942 Bidwell222/170 X 2,444,985 7/1948 Fulton..... 214/21 X 3,570,557 3/1971Molins.... 141/129 X 3,592,004 7/1971 Lense 53/385 3,631,903 l/1972Huggins.. 141/144 X 3,753,331 8/1973 Sato 53/385 X PrimaryExaminer-Harrison L. l-linson Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden Attorney,Agent, or FirmB. B. Olive [571 ABSTRACT A high productivity packagingapparatus and method utilize a drum and a plurality of circularlyarranged trap chambers, or traps, which communicate and rotate with thedrum as an integral, compact unit. During rotation of the drum, thelevel of material to be packaged is sensed within the drum and materialis fed intermittently into the drum by a positive screw feed to replacematerial withdrawn. Each trap successively draws from the materialstored within the drum a unit of material to be packaged, traps theunit, discharges any excess and during continued rotation directs thematerial toward a trap outlet for discharge at a discharge station insynchronism with the passage of packet containers. The packet containersare formed in a continuous strip of heat settable, coated, sheetmaterial (e.g., paper, which is slit, folded, and transversely orvertically sealed at spaced intervals), are opened by use of pressurizedair immediately prior to filling, and after filling are longitudinallyor horizontally sealed and then cut into individual packets.Registration marks on the strip are detected and are used as a means toadjust the location of the formed containers with reference to the trapoutlets.

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 1 of 8 3,923,084

U.S Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 2 ofs 3,923,084

Ohm

JQEZOPW 5: 9

NON

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 3 of8 3,923,084

CHAMBERS REFILL PROCEEDS.

FILLING COMPLETED FIG. 5

PACKET TOPK TRANSVERSE SEAL FIG. 24

U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 51166114 of8 3,923,084

l E Q FIG. 9

2 US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 sheet 5 of8 3,923,084

FROM STORAGE BIN 255 FROM STORAGE BIN OR OVERHEAD CONVEYOR U.S. PatentDec. 2, 1975 Sheet 6 0f 8 3,923,084

\ i l I J i I F! F-- 1| w 1 1 I 89 {,42989 1 I 1 1 1 i l l l 86J'L l L LFIGv 15 US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 7 of 8 3,923,084

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 8 of 8 VERTICALLY i i MOVABLE BASE i 42-5355 g 411 Q/ 370 E J 435 431 412 J 420 450 432 436 -1 A LL 43 414 U LlFIG. 22

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLUID MATERIALS IN PACKETS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to fluidmaterial measuring and dispensing, to the packaging art, and moreparticularly to condimenttype material packaging apparatus and methodsfor packaging individual serving type packages of, for example, sugar,salt, pepper, mustard, catsup, and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,653,430, 2,746,223, and3,344,576 are cited as being merely representative of what is otherwisea voluminous prior art. The prior art apparatus generally is complex,requires substantial space and does not meet the increasing highproductivity requirement. It has been proposed as seen in US. Pat. No.3,344,576 to rotate plural material guides, i.e., funnels, which guidethe material to the packets while being filled. It has also beenproposed to rotate the packets themselves to facilitate filling. Onealso finds in the prior art various cam actuated operators which sit onthe packets and which revolve and assist in the filling, metering ordischarge functions which are inherent in any packaging apparatus.Metering is normally accomplished by stationary and relatively complexmetering traps.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,778 teaches employment of a rotating filling wheelor drum having a plurality of cam actuated trap chambers or trapsmounted on the drum periphery and which drum holds the material to bepackaged. Each trap fills with material, isolates one or more units ofmaterial and discharges material units into synchronized individualpackets or containers to be filled. While a marked advance over theprior art, the trap operations have required many moving parts.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903, over which this invention marks an improvement,resides around the concept of maintaining a supply of fluid material tobe packaged in a rotatable drum, rotating the drum at some uniform speedin a constant direction, and simultaneously rotating a set of traps,i.e., metering devices or trap chambers, which are arranged in acircular configuration and which are connected to and which rotate withthe drum. Each trap provides an elongated, non-linear, material flowpath between an inlet and outlet and in the embodiments disclosed in thepatent such path is of helical shape. At a filling station each trap ispositioned so that the material to be packaged is drawn from the drumthrough the trap inlet and so as to locate itself at one end of thehelical path. As the valve rotates around the drum axis all material inexcess of a unit of material is discharged through the inlet and therotation causes the unit to move along the helical path and approach thetrap outlet. As the trap reaches a separate discharge station, the unitof material reaches the end of its helical path and is discharged insynchronism with a packet or other container to be filled, mating withthe trap outlet. Two or more such helical paths and two or more units ofmaterial may be discharged simultaneously.

While the packaging apparatus and method described in U.S. Pat.No.'3,63l,903 represented a dramatic improvement over the apparatusdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,778 and other prior packaging apparatusand methods, use of such apparatus and methods have revealed the needfor even further improvements. Specifically, there has developed a needfor substantially reducing the length of the run of the packaging paperbetween the point where the paper leaves the roll supply and the pointwhere the filled paper is cut into individual packets.'Such reduction ofrun length is needed to reduce the possible points of breakdown, tofacilitate threading, and to increase production. There has alsodeveloped a need to improve the manner in which the vertically sealedcontainers formed in the paper are opened just prior to entry of thefilling spouts in order to insure positive opening and to prevent thespouts missing the containers. Experience with the apparatus and methoddisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903 has also revealed the need formaintaining registry between the formed containers and other movingcomponents and a need for improvement in the horizontal sealing. Whileregistration apparatus is well known, it has never been applied in apractical way with a filling apparatus of the type described in U.S.Pat. No. 3,631,903. Finally, there has proven to be a need for improvingthe spout shape and for providing a more positive method of feeding thematerial, e.g., sugar, into the dispensing drum and maintaining levelcontrol. 4

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus and method of the inventionconstitute improvements particularly upon the apparatus and method ofU.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903. The present invention constitutes a number ofspecific improvements which collectively provide a substantiallyimproved packaging apparatus and method over that described in U.S. Pat.No. 3,631,903. While the drum filling portion of the invention isapplicable to packaging bottles, paper cartons, and the like, thedescription is directed to forming packets in a pliable sheet andpackaging sugar and the like in such packets. From this description thebroader applications of the new screw feed, filling drum and levelcontrol will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

In substance, the present invention reduces the length of run of thepackaging paper, provides a means for maintaining registration of thepackaging paper and particularly the vertical seal locations, utilizesan air suction device for positively opening the vertically sealedpackets just prior to their being filled, provides a more compactfilling drum structure than previously provided, provides an improvedfilling spout, utilizes a substantialiy improved horizontal sealingapparatus and method, provides a unique level control and, mostimportantly, provides a means for positively replenishing material inthe drum at a controllable and uniform rate.

The registration system of the invention detects registration marks onthe packaging paper prior to the paper being vertically sealed and thencauses the paper effectively to move or drift with reference to thevertical sealer and in either direction as required so that accurateforming of the vertical seals is obtained. The mentioned air openingdevice is designed effectively to suck the sides of the verticallysealed packets apart just prior to the packets receiving the fillingspouts. Compactness of the filling drum is obtained by forming the trapsas part of the filling drum itself rather than by forming themseparately and attaching the traps to the drum periphery as taught inU.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903. A pair of communicating sloped and horizontalscrews are used to elevate the sugar or other material from a storagebin and transfer it into the filling drum as required. The level controlutilizes an improved oscillatory paddle and switch arrangement. Thepaddle senses the material level, rotates a shaft on which the paddle ismounted, and actuates a switch which energizes a screw drive motor,causing the material supply screws to operate when and as needed. Therequired horizontal seal is effected by an improved sealing apparatusand method designed to cause the horizontal paper surfaces requiringsealing to be sealed and to move back and forth between heated surfaceshaving constantly changing curvatures. The overall effect of theinvention improvements is to provide a machine capable in its designspeed of exceeding 2,500 packets per minute based on forming two packetstrips simultaneously and which in actual practice has maintained aproduction rate of 2,000 packets per minute. Ithas thus become theprimary object of the present invention to reduce the length of thepaper run, make the paper easier to thread, improve the openingoperation, improve the final horizontal sealing, improve the spout shapeto improve filling, improve the material feeding from the main storagebin to the dispensing drum and to improve the construction of thedispensing drum and reduce its size. In substance, the object is toprovide a vastly improved packaging machine and method of packaging, andthe various improvements will be seen as the description proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of thepreferred embodiment of the packaging apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the packaging apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation view of the packaging apparatuscontrol panel.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

' FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevation view of the filling drum sectionand the filling spouts around the drum.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged section of one of the trap measuringdevices around the drum periphery.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a filling spout employed in thisinvention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the device of FIG. 7, the side notshown being a mirror image thereof.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the device of FIG. 7. FIG. 1 1 is a sideelevation view of a horizontal screw used by the invention in supplyingmaterial to the drum.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the vertical sealer arrangementand the paper-turning device.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevation view of one of the vertical sealerheads of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is an end elevation view of an air opener used in thisinvention, two such openers being used in the embodiment described.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 14 and illustrating the airsupply for the openers in a dual arrangement.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the interior face of one of a pair ofidentical plates which make up the air opener.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a section of the paper used in packaging thematerial and which is shown prior to being slit.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged end elevation view of a switch arrangement usedto control the supply of material to the drum and filling spouts.

FIG. 19 is an end elevation view of the horizontal, wavy surfaced,heated sealers employed in the invention with the outside sealer barsbeing shown in dashed lines as for cleaning.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of one pair of the two wavy sealer plates ofFIG. 19 with dashed lines indicating the hollow tubular spaces reservedfor the electrical heaters.

FIG. 21 is an end elevation view of one pair of the wavy sealer platesof FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the horizontal sealer of FIG. 19 and alsoshowing a cutter arrangement adjacent thereto for severing the filledseries of packets into individual packs.

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary elevation section of an alternative means ofsupply of material to the horizontal screw of FIG. 4.

FIG. 24 is a side view of a horizontally and vertically sealed filledpacket strip prior to cutting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A high production packagingapparatus and method according to the invention will now be described inreference to the appended drawings. Various commonly used frame bracingmembers, and the like, have been eliminated to simplify the drawings.Also, details of the electrical wiring, controls, switches, and thelike, have not been shown but are described sufficiently to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the invention.

The packager frame 30 consists of welded construction and as illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with floor mounting feet 31, a frontreinforcing panel 32, a rear reinforcing panel 33 (shown in FIG. 2), acontrol box 35, and an inspection door 38.

While, as later described, individual bottles, paper cartons, and thelike, may be employed with the drum filling portion of the invention,the apparatus and method of the invention are specifically directed atthe type of packaging used for forming individual packets orserving-type packages from heat settable paper, or the like, such asused for sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, catsup, and the like. There isprovided a heat settable, coated paper roll supply 40 mounted forrotation on an axle 41 having a weighted drag roll 42. The packetformingpaper 45 passes from the roll supply 40 over an idler guide roll 46 to adriven roller 50 which will be referred to as the bottom driven roller.The driving arrangement for bottom driven roller 50 will be describedlater in connection with FIG. 2. A weighted idler roll 51 preventsslippage of paper 45 around bottom driven roll 50. Idler roll 51 can beflipped back out of contact with roll 50 when the machine is beingthreaded. The paper 45 may be imprinted with appropriate advertisingwhich may be used for registration purposes, or preferably, the paper isprinted with longitudinally spaced registration marks 55 (FIG. 17) whichmay be detected by a registration optical detector 56 and throughappropriate registration controls 57, later explained, used for purposesof registration. An electrically heated bar 44 is provided for sealingthe trailing end of a used roll to the leading end of a new roll. Bar 44may be energized by a suitably placed switch 47 which is actuated by thedrag roll 42 moving to a position corresponding to a depleted roll andwhich speeds up installation of a new roll. Switch 47 may also be usedto actuate a warning signal and to stop the filling operation in theevent the depleted roll is not observed by the operator.

To continue followingthe path of the paper in FIG. 1, the paper nextpasses over an idler roll 60 and then through a slitter-folder 61 whichcauses the paper to be slit into two half-sections 45a and 45b for eachhalfsection and folded as indicated in FIG. 12. Here it should beunderstood that a single width paper could be employed and which wouldeliminate the use of slitter folder 61. For the purpose of the presentdescription, the use of a double width paper has been chosen though itshould be understood that by duplicating the paper handling, sealing,filling, and cutting apparatus hereafter described, paper suitable tomaking up more than two packet-forming strips could be employedthroughout the system being described.

Since the general practices of slitting, vertically sealing, filling,horizontally sealing and cutting individually filled packets are alreadyknown, the description will primarily describe in detail those parts ofthe apparatus and steps of the invention which are deemed novel and notapparent to those skilled in the art. In this regard, US Pat. No.3,631,903 furnishes useful background.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 12 and 13, the slitted and folded paper strips45a, 45b, after lerving a slitterfolder 61, are caused to pass overrespective vertical sealing units 70, 71 such that strip 45a is causedto be vertically sealed by vertical sealer 71 and strip 45b is caused tobe vertically sealed by vertical sealer 70. The common problem of staticelectricity may be reduced by use of a conventional static eliminatorbar 62 (FIG. 1). Since the slitters, folders, and vertical sealersreferred to are well known, no detailed explanation of either is deemedto be required. In general, the vertical sealers 70, 71 are conventionaland each constitutes a wheel-like arrangement on which are mounted aplurality of electrically heated sealing bars 75. As the respective heatsealable paper strips 45a, 45b move around the positively driven heaterbars 75, the so-called vertical seals are formed. The space between eachvertical seal eventually constitutes a container or packet for thematerial to be packaged.

The now vertically sealed and folded paper strips 45a, 45b are directedbetween respective pairs of driven knurled rollers 80 which areduplicated for each paper strip which is folded and which will bereferred to as the top driven rollers and which are between pairs ofsmooth surfaced fixed rod guides 81. Smaller knurled idler rollers 80a,under spring load, fit against larger rollers 80. Rollers 80a are springloaded so that they may be backed off from rollers 80 when threading thepaper between rollers 80, 80a. Rollers 80, 80a are preferably hardenedto reduce the effects of wear and it is desirable that a constanttension be upon the paper strips 45a, 45b as they pass around therespective vertical sealers 70, 71. Constant tension upon strips 45a,45b allows for quick and complete penetration of heat and facilitatesobtaining a satisfactory vertical seal. Rollers 80 are preferablyslightly overdriven through a slip clutch in order to maintain propertension. Each paper strip continues its respective path over smoothsurfaced rod guides 82 and each paper strip 45a, 45b, prior to beingfilled, enters a unique air opening device 83 which is shown in moredetail in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16. It should be understood that for eachpaper strip there will be provided one such air opener 83 whose purposeis that of opening the now formed vertically sealed packets just priorto their moving to the position where they are to receive the materialto be packaged,

e.g., sugar.

With specific reference to FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, each air opener 83 isprovided with a suitable pressurized air supply through an air-supplytube 85. The exact pressure is not critical and a suitable pressure canbe obtained simply by observing the opening under a strobescopic lightandadjusting the opening and pressure to obtain the desired openingeffect. The opener consists of a pair of spaced blocks 86, 87 having aplurality of formed depressions 88 which communicate with an air channel89 which in turn receives air from air supply tube 85. Aluminum blockshave been used but many other materials such as plastic, glass, or thelike, could be similarly formed. As the folded and vertically sealedpaper strip passes downwardly through the respective air opener 83, thesides of each packet container formed between each pair of verticalseals tend to be sucked outwardly towards the respective plates 86, 87and which in turn tends to open the container. This is due to theventuri effect of the air exiting depressions 88 on the sides of eachpacket. As the sides of the packet are thus sucked outwardly, the mouthof the packet is caused to open and each paper strip 45a, 45b, afterleaving its respective air opener 83, is time to cause the mouth of eachrespective opened packet to engage a respective filling spout 90 on thefilling drum 91. Thus, each packet and its respective filling spout areassured of coming together in a positive engagement with each respectivespout properly seated in its packet.

As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the innerand outer edges of therespective folded packet strips which pass position P-3 are caused to bebent or curved so as to generally follow the curvature of the drum asthe strip packets move past position P-3 and around the horizontal axisof the drum 91. This method of handling the portions of the packetstrips being filled has been found in practice to assist in puckeringand opening the packets for filling. For example, with a drum outsidediameter of about 16% inches, a filling spout depth of about 2 inches,and a foldedpacket width of about 1% inches, the packet strips inpractice can be seen to pucker and open when moving in the arcuate pathdepicted in FIG. 5. The inner and outer edges of the respective packetstrips, while depicted as smooth curves in FIG. 5, will, of course, havesome wrinkles conforming to being curved as shown.

The body (FIG. 4) of drum 91 is of one piece, pan-shaped, cast metalconstruction and has its front face covered by a transparent cover plate127 which is secured by the screws 128 to provide a hollow drum orcontainer for the material. The body 125 is affix ed to the bearing tube222 by means of screws 250, as later referred to, and is concentricallymounted with respect to its axis of rotation by means of bearings 251,252. The external peripheral wall 130 of the body 125 is provided withexternally machined surfaces 131 (FIG. 6) on which are mounted theuniformly and peripherally spaced spouts 90 by means of screws 132 andwhich are associated with the metering and dispensing trap chambers 120.

Here it should be understood that the word trap or trap chamber is usedsomewhat arbitrarily since, as later described, the traps of theinvention have no moving parts and do more than provide a flow path. Thetraps of the invention act in fact as a means for receiving, metering,guiding, and discharging units of material on each rotation of drum 91.

The metering and dispensing traps 120 and their associated spouts 90,which are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4 through 10, are adapted topackage two packets simultaneously; however, more or fewer packets maybe packaged with the appropriate modifications to the apparatus. Thepackets are preferably in continuous strip form, as in FIGS. 1, 5, 12and 13. However, discrete containers such as bottles or boxes, notshown, may be used with the drum or filling wheel portion of theinvention apparatus.

Each metering and dispensing trap 120 is formed with a hollow,cylindrical opening 142 whose ends are closed by circular nylon discs133, 134 held by set screws 140 (FIG. 6). Openings 142 are formed byequally, peripherally spaced holes bored through the cast-metal body 125of drum 91. This construction both reduces construction and maintenancecosts and lends itself to a more compact drum arrangement as contrastedwith the traps which are separately formed and secured to the drums astaught in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903. A cylindrical spaced block136 is snugly fitted and centered in the interior of opening 142 andeffectively divides opening 142 into two independent trap sections V andV A pair of snugly fitted helical screws 138, 139 are located onopposite sides of spacer block 136. Screws 138, 139 provide respectivehelical flow paths for the material. Material is fed to trap section V,through inlet 143 and to trap section V through inlet 144. Block 136 andscrews 138, 139 are of nylon. While described as separate items, discs133 and 134, screws 138 and 139, and block 136 are preferably moldedfrom nylon as a single integral part for each trap assembly.

Inlets 143, 144, of course, communicate with the interior of drum 91 andas drum 91 rotates the material residing inside drum 91 is forciblyinjected into the trap inlets 143, 144 by gravitational and centrifugalforces.

Further improvements are provided in the packet filling spouts 90 whichserve as respective outlet ports for trap sections V and V Fillingspouts 90 are thin walled, tubular members which are flush mounted withthe outer surface 152 of the drum body 125 and project from the drumbody a sufficient distance to insure entry into the packet, bottle, boxor other container without the loss of any material being transportedthereby. While the filling spouts may, of course, be shaped to conformto the particular type of container being packaged, FIGS. 8-10 show apreferred embodiment for packaging sugar and the like.

In particular, each spout 90 provides for the material to be expelledboth through central, axially extending port 154 (FIG. 8) and a lateralport 155 which commu nicates with port 154 proximate the drum body 125.Each spout 90 also includes a rigid, thin, tip portion 156 which firstengages the packet opening which, as drum 91 rotates (see FIG. graduallyinserts itself into the near full depth of the packet. The wider portionof the spout 90, containing ports 154 and 155, is

also at this stage inserted into the packet and material will normallyfirst pour through lateral port and then through axial port 154 untilthe measured amount has been drawn. Such arrangement insures positivespout-packet engagement and also insures a positive and quick dischargewhich maximizes the drum speed and packaging rate.

The operation of screw members 138, 139 follows the teaching of U.S.Pat. No. 3,631,903 but for a better understanding of the improvementsrelated to the present invention it will be shown how they act toreceive the material, measure out units of material, and then dispensethe respective units of material through the improved filling spouts 90.In this regard, it will be noted that when the trap is in the positionP-l, FIG. 5, the left ends of the screws 138, 139, as seen in FIG. 6,will fill through the respective inlets 143, 144. As the trap moves onto position P-Z, the trap is inverted and excess material is droppedback into drum 91 through inlets 143, 144. At the same time, othermaterial, by reason of the spiral screw effect, is trapped in therespective turns of the screw members 138, 139 and is advanced axiallyin the direction of the respective filling spouts 90. It is this trappedmaterial that now constitutes a measured material unit in eachrespective trap section V V As the trap continues to rotate around theaxis of drum 91, it will be noted that the spiralling screw action willcontinue to advance the trapped material axially in each respectivescrew member 138, 139. Once the trap reaches the position P-3 orthereabouts, the trapped unit of material in each respective screwmember 138, 139 will have been advanced to the point that it reaches therespective outlet and is free to pour out of the respective fillingspouts 90. At the same time, new material begins to pour into therespective inlets 143, 144 for screw members 138, 139, but the newmaterial, because of the respective screw member positions at P-3,remains isolated from the material being dispensed. As the trap moves onagain to positions P-1, P-2 and back to P-3, the cycle, of course,repeats. Thus, each trap section V V receives, measures off, stores, anddischarges a unit of material on each rotation. Of particular interestto the present invention is the fact that the improved trapconstruction, improved air opener, improved spout construction, improvedhorizontal sealing, improved registration, improved material feeding andsensing of the present invention all adapt themselves to utilizing thescrew trapping concept at substantially higher production rates thanheretofore obtained.

So long as the drum 91 rotates at some uniform speed and is kept filledto some predetermined level of material, as later explained, the trapswill sequentially fill, dump excess material and move to the respectivefilling spouts 90, predetermined units of material which will always beof uniform amount. It can also be seen that the material unit" isdetermined by the diameter, pitch, blade thickness, speed of rotationand nature of material, which factors, once determined and fixed, insurea uniformity in measuring the respective units. Further, simply bychanging the pitch or diameter of the screw being employed, the volumein the material unit can be changed and in some cases simply by speedingor slowing rotation, the volume in the material unit can be changed. Abrush 78 and excess material guide 79 are employed to remove any excessmaterial which clings to the spouts 90 prior to their moving back to afilling position.

Drum 91, of course, always rotates in the same direction and the speedof rotation while constant for a given material is preferably adjustedto the nature of the material. That is, to gain maximum advantage ofboth gravitational and centrifugal forces the speed should be adjustedto be sufficiently fast so that the trap tends to fill in excess of oneunit of material on each rotation, with the excess being eliminated bythe fact that each respective trap when it inverts to position P-2 willretain only one unit of material. Some paste-like and semi-liquidmaterials, therefore, may be found compatible with the apparatus andmethod of the invention though they may require a different range ofspeed than is required for liquid and granular materials and in somecases the materials are expected to be heated and dried as part of thepackaging process.

The improved screw conveyor system for storing and transferring thematerial prior to introduction to the drum forms an important part ofthe present invention. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,578,778 and3,631,903 over. which the present invention represents an improvement.In the apparatus and method of these patents it will be noted that thematerial is elevated from a storage bin to an auxiliary hopper and isthen fed directly to the drum by gravity through a pipe which connectsthe hopper with the drum interior. Such an arrangement has worked, butit has required the use of vibrators and has been found sensitive tochanges in humidity when handling sugar and similar granular material.Also, the sugar, for example, cannot always be fed into the drum at thesame rate since the amount of sugar vibrated loose in the hopper issubject to many variables. This aspect of the present invention thusseeks to provide for more positive feeding and control over the materialfed to the drum.

A storage bin 200 of welded metal or other suitable construction isemployed. Appropriate sloping walls 201 provide a limited volume base tofacilitate pick-up, and rest on the floor. Storage bin 200 is affixed tothe machine frame 30 by suitable frame means and the operator dumps intobin 200, as required, material to be packaged which may be, for example,100-pound bags of sugar.

The manner in which the material is elevated from the storage bin 200 tothe level of the filling drum 91, the manner in which the material isthen transferred into the filling drum and the manner in which apredetermined level is maintained in the filling drum 91 all constitutecoordinated and important aspects of the invention. In particular, thereis provided a vertically sloped and positively driven screw 210 whichmounts within a tube 211 which extends into the limitedvolume base ofthe storage bin 200. A suitable driven motor 202, through a right anglegear drive 212, turns a gear 213 which drives a chain 214 which in turndrives a gear 215 which through another right angle gear drive 216causes screw 210 to rotate whenever motor 202 is energized. It will alsobe noticed that chain 214 drives a gear 220 which rotates a separatehorizontal screw 221 (FIGS. 4, 11 and 23) mounted inside a horizontaltube 222 which at its material recovery end communicates with tube 211.Thus, when screw 210 is turning, the material to be packaged, e.g.,sugar, is transferred upwardly from bin 200 by vertical screw 210, isthen transferred to screw 221 and is then moved horizontally towards thefilling drum 91 where it exits through a perforated cap 225. Here it canbe seen that by properly designing the screws 210 and 221 andcontrolling and synchronizing their speeds, the sugar or other materialcan be drawn from bin 200 in positive measured amounts and lumps can bebroken up in transit. Thus, by sensing the material level in drum 91, aslater explained, replacement material can be drawn into drum 91 asneeded at a substantially uniform rate. Also, this method ofreplenishing drum 91 allows drum 91 to move at a relatively high rate ofpackaging since material replenishing can be done positively and at afast rate.

Tube 222 is secured on its discharge end to drum 91 by means of bolts250, as best shown in FIG. 4. Tube 222 is also rotatably supported bybearings 251, 252 and at its opposite end is secured to the drive gear255 by means of bolts 256. Bearings 251, 252 are in turn supported byframe member 260 and hub member 261 which is secured to frame member 260by bolts 262. Turning of drive gear 255 thus causes drum 91 to rotate,I-Iowever, conveyor screw 221 is connected to be separately driven bymeans of gear 220 which mounts on conveyor screw 221 and is driven bychain 214 through gear 213. Added bearing support for the tube 222 isprovided by bearings 280, 281. What should be appreciated here is thatthis coaxial drum-screw arrangement allows drum 91 to rotatecontinuously and screw 221 to rotate intermittently about the same axis.

Before describing improved level control of material in drum 91, whichcontrols when conveyor screws 210 and 221 operate, a brief review of theconveyor screw operation will be given. In particular, it will be notedthat when screw drive motor 202 is energized, both conveyor screw 210and conveyor screw 221 are caused to operate. Conveyor screw 210 willelevate material from storage bin 200 and transfer it to conveyor screw221, which will then carry material into drum 91.

Referring next to the level control, it will first be noted thatconveyor screw 221 is of a hollow construction as seen in FIGS. 4 and11. A shaft 290 extends through conveyor screw 221 and is supported by abearing 291 mounted in cap 225. A cap extension 292 mounts a materiallevel sensing paddle 293 which can be adjusted radially by means of setscrew 294. At the opposite end of shaft 290 there is mounted a leverswitch arrangement best depicted in FIGS. 2, 4 and 18. To bestunderstand this arrangement and how the level control operates, it isfirst necessary to observe and appreciate that shaft 290 rotatesindependently of conveyor screw 221 and also rotates independently oftube 222 which surrounds screw 221 and which drives drum 91. Thus, eventhough drum 91 may be continuously turning with tube 222, screw 221 canbe stationary and at the same time shaft 290 can be stationary. Forexample, if the machine is being run with no material for test purposes,drum 91 can be caused to rotate while screw 221 and shaft 290 remainstationary. Also, shaft 290 can shift its rotative position while screw221 remains stationary or shaft 290 can be changing its rotativeposition at a time when screw 221 is turning.

Referring particularly to FIG. 18, the level control incorporates atwo-position microswitch 300 having a two-position switch plunger 301and supported on a frame member 302. When plunger 30] is depressed,switch 300 is closed and when plunger 301 is elevated,

switch 300 is opened. Switch 300 is in circuit with the screw drivemotor 202. Thus. when plunger 301 is pushed down, screw drive motor 202is energized. To further explain this operation, plunger 301 isdepressed by means of a lever 310 rigidly secured to shaft 290 andplunger 301 is elevated by means of a lever 311 which is also rigidlymounted on shaft 290. Levers 310, 311 have switch engaging pins 312,313. Referring to FIG. 1, the paddle 293 (also seen in FIG. 4) is shownin a vertical position corresponding to the drum being empty orsubstantially empty. In this empty condition, lever 310 will occupy thesolid-line condition shown in FIG. 18 which will cause switch 300 toclose, screw drive motor 202 to be energized and the respective conveyorscrews 210, 221 to operate and transfer material from bin 200 to theinterior of drum 91. As the amount of material in drum 91 increases,paddle 293 will be caused to move in a clockwise direction as seen inFIG. 1 and levers 310, 311 will be caused to move in a counterclockwisedirection as seen in FIG. 18 until they move to the respective dottedline positions shown in FIG. 18 whereupon switch 300 will be opened,screw drive motor 202 will be deenergized and the respective conveyorscrews 210, 221 will stop turning. As the material is depleted in drum91, the paddle 293 will return to the vertical position shown in FIGS. 1and 5 whereupon levers 310, 311 will be caused to move back to therespective solid line positions shown in FIG. 18, switch 300 will beclosed and screw drive motor 202 will be energized to cause screws 210,221 to operate and convey more material to drum 91. Thus, during anormal packaging operation, drum 91 will operate continuously, subjectonly to paper replacement and breakdowns, and paddle 293 will oscillatebetween vertical and off-vertical positions as drum 91 empties, refills,empties, refills, etc., and motor 202 will switch on and off in the samesequence.

While it is contemplated that conventional sugar and likepackaging'practices will'dictate use of the dual screw arrangement justdescribed, it is recognized that the material can be fed from anoverhead source directly to screw 221 and this embodiment is generallyrepresented in FIG. 23. Here it can be seen that an inlet tube 230connects directly to tube 222 and thus provides a path of entry for theincoming material. The unique level control previously describednevertheless is equally adapted to this embodiment and would, asrequired, control the overhead source operation.

To continue with the description, the dual packet strips, after beingfilled, are passed under a guide 350 and then into a horizontal sealingunit 355 whose details are important to the invention and are laterexplained. From horizontal sealer 355, the'now sealed packets are pulledthrough a conventional packet knife cutter 370 which is synchronized tocut through the vertical or transverse seals of the dual packet stripsand drop the now individual packets into hopper 450 from which they dropto a suitable shipping container 375. As best shown in FIG. 1, theshipping container 375 arrives below the knife cutter 370 on a conveyor380, is filled below the knife cutter 370 and is then ejected by anappropriate means onto a discharge conveyor 381 for final packaging andshipment. In order to fill each container 375 with the same number ofpackets, there is provided a cam 390 which is secured and rotates withdrum 91, as shown in FIG. 5. Cam 390 operates a counting switch 391which in turn is connected to a counter control of conventionalconstruction. Since the mechanism for receiving the shipping containers,counting the packets and ejecting the filled shipping containers followconventional practice, the same are not dealt with in further detail.The mechanism for pushing the shipping container 375 from the incomingconveyor 380 is schematically represented by mechanism 400 and theejecting mechanism for pushing the filled shipping container 375 ontodischarge conveyor 381 is schematically represented by mechanism 401 asbest seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such mechanisms conventionally use pneumaticrams, or the like, with appropriate controls to perform the describedfunctions.

Referring again to the subject of horizontal sealing, the presentinvention offers a substantial improvement for packaging sugar, and thelike, and accomplishes horizontal sealing in a completely novel mannerwhich substantially overcomes many of the problems encountered inprevious horizontal sealers. The past practice during horizontal sealinghas been to pass the vertically sealed and filled packets between twoheated bars providing narrowly spaced straight opposed heated surfaces.This method has not accommodated to the problem of extraneous grains ofmaterial which are often found on the paper surfaces where thehorizontal seal is made. Faulty seals are often made and the paper isoften burned, resulting in rejected work. Also, maintenance problemshave been substantial and particularly since any kind of heated surfacewhich contacts sugar, or the like, requires periodic cleaning under themost ideal circumstances.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 19-22, there are shown various views ofthe improved horizontal sealing unit 355 and in FIG. 22 the relation ofthe sealer to the knife unit 370 is also shown. In particular, thehorizontal sealing unit 355 comprises a base structure 410 which mountson each side respective pairs of sealing bars 411, 412, 413 and 414.Each bar is in effect an electrically heated bar. The mating surfaces ofeach pair of sealing bars 411, 412, e.g., follow a wavy path as bestseen in FIGS. 20 and 22. That is, the paper being sealed is forced intocontact with parallel, heated, opposed surfaces of changing curvature.In one embodiment, the contacting surfaces of the bars between which thepacket paper is passed and horizontally sealed have heated areas on eachbar approximating 6 inches X we inch. Conventional tubular electricheaters are mounted in the hollow interiors of the respective sealingbars 411-414 and are energized by suitable electrical connections 420.

To facilitate maintenance which cannot be avoided when handling sugar,and the like, the outer sealing bars 411, 414 are pivoted as best shownin FIG. 19 and are provided with handles 425, 426.such that when pivotedinwardly to the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 19 the mating heatedsurfaces are available for cleaning, removal of burnt materials, and thelike, such as encountered in normal packaging practice.

The changing bar surface curvatures used in the longitudinal sealers ofthe present invention tend to minimize packet burning because each sideof the packet tends to be in only intermittent contact with a heated barsurface. In contrast conventional straight bar surfaces afford theprobability of bringing each side of the packet into continuous contactwith a heated bar surface. A further advantage of the longitudinalsealers of the invention is that uniformity in duration of contactbetween packet and heater surface is assured whereas the straightsurfaces of conventional longitudinal sealers permit lateral flutter ofthe packet strip and, hence, intermittent contact. A still furtheradvantage is seen in the fact that the filling of packets in a packetstrip tends to shorten the effective length of the bottom of the stripdue to bulging of the packets and consequent concave pucker in theoutside bottom of said packets, all of which tends to bow the packetstrip upward between the filling and cutting operations. The wavy gapbetween the two halves of each longitudinal sealer employed in theinvention counters this tendency by causing the top edge of eachcorresponding packet strip to assume a sinusoidal shape and hence toeffectively shorten the strip.

As best seen in FIG. 22, the packets once horizontally sealed are drawnbetween respective pairs of driven and idle rollers 430, 431 and 432,433. The rollers are provided with knurled surfaces to facilitategripping the paper. The packets then pass the respective knife blades435, 436 from which they drop into a suitable hopper 450 for packaginginto containers 375, as previously mentioned. The usual hopper gate andits mechanism are not shown since the same follow conventional practice.

The register system employed makes use of conventional components of aphotoelectric registration system available to the trade butincorporates these components in a unique manner useful to the purposesof the invention. Reference is made to a pamphlet entitled E.M.P. ModelNo. 102 Two-Way Preprint Registration Cut-Off Control Systems and to apamphlet entitled EMF Positive, Dependable, Photoelectric Systems ForCut-Off On All Web Fed Machinery, both of which are published byElectronic Machine Parts, Inc., 128-11 18th Avenue, College Point, NewYork. The pamphlets explain the basic operation of the so-called EMPModel 102 two-way registration system which has been found useful forthe apparatus of this invention. With the description set forth in thesepamphlets in mind, the photoelectric scanner 56, FIG. 1, is connectedthrough the registration controls 57 to a selector switch 49, FIG. 2,and to a registration adjustment motor 52 which controls a mechanicaldifferential 53. The selector switch 49 establishes a correction zone aswell as a dwell area between advance and retard and the differential 53causes the paper to drift in either direction on the vertical sealers aslater explained. The vertical sealers 70, 71 are in turn positivelydriven at a constant speed by gear 54 which in turn is driven by themain drum gear 255 through gear boxes 58, 59 and connecting shaft 65.

The vertical sealer drive gear 54 drives a chain 66 which drives therotating dial of selector switch 49 and also acts to drive thedifferential 53. Differential 53 in turn drives through its differentialmechanism a chain 67 which drives a gear 68 which drives the bottomdrive roller 50 and a gear 69 which drives the top drive rollers 80shown in FIG. 1.

In operation, the paper registration marks 55 shown in FIG. 17 aredetected and, if registration is within defined limits, the bottom driveroller 50 and top drive rollers 80 continue to operate at somepredetermined speed and the vertical seals are formed at properly spacedlocations on vertical sealers 70, 71. However, if the registration markslead or lag beyond defined limits, such fact is detected which causesthe registration adjustment motor 52 to adjust the differential 53 sothat gears 68, 69 either speed up or slow down as required whicheffectively causes the paper to drift or slide on the vertical sealers70, 71 which in turn causes a relocation of the vertical seals to theirproper positions with reference to the registration marks.

Another registration adjustment for the cutting of the vertical seals isalso provided in the arrangement which drives the end driven rollers430, 432 shown in FIG. 22 and which pulls the finished packets justprior to cutting. In this connection, rollers 430, 432 are connected byshaft means, not shown, to be driven through an adjustable magneticclutch 72, shown in FIG. 2. Clutch 72 is in turn driven by chain 73 offgear 74 which is driven through shaft 75 and gear box 76 off the maindrum gear 255. In practice, it has been found that by adjusting themagnetic clutch slippage, the degree of slippage of the paper on rollers430, 432 can be controlled and this can be used to control the degree oftightness of the paper on the vertical sealers 70, 71 which provides asimple method of controlling the width of the vertical seal.Furthermore, a coarse adjustment of the width or depth of the horizontalseal can be obtained by use of a vertically movable base for thehorizontal sealer as schematically illustrated in FIG. 19. Thus, bothlocation and size of the vertical and horizontal seals illustrated inFIG. 24 are adjustable.

The term vertical seal has been used to refer to the transverse, lateralor crosswise seal; the term horizontal seal to refer to the longitudinalor lengthwise seal at the outer edges opposite the folded packet bottomand the top of the packet to refer to the portion of the packet sealedby the horizontal or longitudinal seal. Thus, even though these portionsof the packets are sometimes shown in the drawings oriented innonvertical, non-horizontal, or other positions, the terms vertical andhorizontal have been employed to simplify the description for thoseskilled in the art. In this same regard, it is also recognized thatpackaging operations may be carried out according to the invention withthe transverse and longitudinal sealers operating and the seals beingformed in orientations and positions different from those disclosed inthe drawings. Thus, the embodiment described illustrates only one suchorientation. The word paper has also been used in a generic sense tomean any packaging material suited to the invention. For example, whilecoated, heat settable paper has been mentioned, transparent polyethylenesheet material has also proven practical as an alternate method.

Finally, mention should be made that another important overall advantageachieved by the compact arrangement shown is that the length of thepaper run between the supply roll 40 and the knife cutter 370 issubstantially less than that obtained in prior art packagers. Thisreduction in turn leads to substantial reduction in time required torethread and in number of potential breakdown points. Overall, theinvention provides a vastly improved packaging apparatus and method.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units and forpacking the units, comprising:

a. a hollow cylindrical filling drum having a peripheral body portionand containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discreteunits;

b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trapchambers formed in said peripheral body portion of said drum forrotation as an integral filling structure around a central horizontalaxis, each chamber having a hollow housing formed with said peripheralbody portion and a helical screw member having its axis orientedparallel 5 to said central axis and fixed within said housing, each saidchamber providing an open elongated fluid material flow path formed bysaid screw member and extending between an inlet communicating with theinterior of said drum and an outlet laterally displaced along said flowpath, said screw member being dimensioned to measure said unit; c. meansfor rotating said filling structure at a unimined angular rangecorresponding to a deplenished supply of material in said drum.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including at a packet openingposition located proximate and above said second station a packetopening means, said opening means comprising a pair of spaced blocksproviding opposed surfaces between which the unsealed top edge portionsof said packets may be drawn, said surfaces having a plurality ofopenings adapted to dis- 0 charge air and produce an air-suction effectand means to convey pressurized air to said surfaces for dischargethrough said surface openings to cause said edge portions to be suckedoutwardly and said packets opened for filling prior to said secondstation.

form predetermined speed and in a constant direction around said centralaxis, each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed tocommunicate its respective inlet with the interior of said drum at afirst rotative station, to receive a portion of said fluid material intosaid flow path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotatesaway from said first station all except a quantity equal to one unit ofsaid material, and to guide said unit along said flow path towards saidoutlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon assaid chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative stationwhereby said unit is discharged from said outlet during passage of saidchamber past said second station;

d. a storage receptacle containing a volume of said material storedbelow the level of said drum axis;

. conveyor means arranged to convey said material from said receptacleto said drum along a conveying path which conveying path at the drumreceiving end includes horizontal screw conveyor means comprising ahelical conveyor screw surrounding a hollow hub and adapted for rotationindependent of said drum around said central axis and communicating atits discharge end with said drum interior and at its intake end withsaid storage receptacle and includes in addition to' said horizontalscrew conveyor means an operatively associated additional screw conveyormeans communicating at one lower end with the material in said storagereceptacle and at the other end with the intake end of said horizontalscrew conveyor means; and

f. leveling means independently controlling said conveyor meansincluding said horizontal screw and additional screw conveyor meanswhereby said conveyor means may operate independently of said drum andbeing effective to operate said conveyor means intermittently asrequired to maintain a predetermined level of material in saidcontainer, said leveling means including a shaft mounted for rota- 3. Anapparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units and forpackaging the units, comprising:

a. a hollow cylindrical filling drum having a peripheral body portionand containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discreteunits;

b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trapchambers formed in said peripheral body portion of said drum forrotation as an integral filling structure around a central horizontalaxis, each chamber having a hollow housing formed with said peripheralbody portion and a helical screw member having its axis orientedparallel to said central axis and fixed within said housing, each saidchamber providing an open elongated fluid material flow path formed bysaid screw member and extending between an inlet communicating with theinterior of said drum and an outlet laterally displaced along said flowpath, said screw member being dimensioned to measure said unit;

0. means for rotating said filling structure at a uniform predeterminedspeed and in a constant direction around said central axis, each chamberbeing adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate itsrespective inlet with the interior of said drum at a first rotativestation, to receive a portion of said fluid material into said flowpath, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away fromsaid first station all except a quantity equal to one unit of saidmaterial, and to guide said unit along said flow path towards saidoutlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon assaid chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative stationwhereby said unit is discharged from said outlet during passage of saidchamber past said second station;

d. a storage receptacle containing a volume of said material;

e. conveyor means arranged to convey said material from said receptacleto said drum along a conveying path which conveying pathat the drumreceivtlon lmllepamlent of, within and extending the ing end includeshorizontal screw conveyor means length of Said Said Shaft having oneforward comprising a helical conveyor screw surrounding a end extendingimo Said drum interior and having hollow hub and adapted for rotationindependent mounted thereon a rotatable Sensing member for of said drumaround said central axis and commucontacting and S nsing th level f Saidmaterial nicating at its discharge end with said drum interior andcontrolling the rotative position of said shaft d t it intak nd withsaid storage receptacle; according to such level, said shaft having areard ward end mounting switch actuating means conf. leveling meansindependently controlling said controlled by the rotative position ofsaid shaft, and veyor means including said horizontal screw conelectricdrive means controlled by said switchveyor means whereby said conveyormeans may actuating means for simultaneously driving said screw conveyormeans during those times when said sensing member rotates within somepredeteroperate independently of said drum and being effective tooperate said conveyor means intermittently as required to maintain apredetermined level of material in said container, said leveling meansincluding a shaft mounted for rotation independent of, within andextending the length of said hub, said shaft having one forward endextending into said drum interior and having mounted thereon a rotatablesensing member for contacting and sensing the level of said material andcontrolling the rotative position of said shaft according to such level,said shaft having a rearward end mounting switch actuating meanscontrolled by the rotative position of said shaft, and electric drivemeans controlled by said switch-actuating means for simultaneouslydriving said screw conveyor means during those times when said sensingmember rotates within some predetermined angular range corresponding toa deplenished supply of material in said drum.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said storage receptacle islocated below and stores said material below the level of saidhorizontal screw conveyor means and said conveyor means comprises inaddition to said horizontal screw conveyor means an operativelyassociated additional screw conveyor means communicating at one lowerend with the material in said storage receptacle and the other end withthe intake end of said horizontal screw conveyor means, and saidleveling means simultaneously controls both said horizontal andadditional screw conveyor means independently of said drum.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and including at a packet openingposition located proximate and above said second station a packetopening means, said opening means comprising a pair of spaced blocksproviding opposed surfaces between which the unsealed top edge portionsof said packet may be drawn, said surfaces having a plurality ofopenings adapted to discharge air and produce an air suction effectproximate said opposed surfaces and surrounding said top edge portionsand means to convey pressurized air to said surfaces for dischargethrough said surface openings to cause said edge portions to be, suckedoutwardly toward said opposed surfaces and said packets opened forfilling prior to said second station.

UTED STATES PATENT OFFICE QETEFICATE 0F (IQRRECTION Patent NO. 3,923,084 Dated December 2, 1975 It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patentare hereby correctedas shown below:

Col. 6, line 32, "time" should be --timed-- Col. 15, line 52 "container"should be -drum- Col, 17, line 1, "container" should be --drum-- Signedand Sealed this twenty-seventh Of April 1976 [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting ()jfiz'er (mnmissium'rnj'lurenls and Trademarks

1. An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units and forpacking the units, comprising: a. a hollow cylindrical filling drumhaving a peripheral body portion and containing a volume of fluidmaterial to be dispensed in discrete units; b. a plurality of uniformlyspaced and circularly arranged metering trap chambers formed in saidperipheral body portion of said drum for rotation as an integral fillingstructure around a central horizontal axis, each chamber having a hollowhousing formed with said peripheral body portion and a helical screwmember having its axis oriented parallel to said central axis and fixedwithin said housing, each said chamber providing an open elongated fluidmaterial flow path formed by said screw member and extending between aninlet communicating with the interior of said drum and an outletlaterally displaced along said flow path, said screw member beingdimensioned to measure said unit; c. means for rotating said fillingstructure at a uniform predetermined speed and in a constant directionaround said central axis, each chamber being adapted on each rotationand at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with the interiorof said drum at a first rotative station, to receive a portion of saidfluid material into said flow path, to discharge through said inlet assaid chamBer rotates away from said first station all except a quantityequal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along saidflow path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forcesasserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a secondrotative station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet duringpassage of said chamber past said second station; d. a storagereceptacle containing a volume of said material stored below the levelof said drum axis; e. conveyor means arranged to convey said materialfrom said receptacle to said drum along a conveying path which conveyingpath at the drum receiving end includes horizontal screw conveyor meanscomprising a helical conveyor screw surrounding a hollow hub and adaptedfor rotation independent of said drum around said central axis andcommunicating at its discharge end with said drum interior and at itsintake end with said storage receptacle and includes in addition to saidhorizontal screw conveyor means an operatively associated additionalscrew conveyor means communicating at one lower end with the material insaid storage receptacle and at the other end with the intake end of saidhorizontal screw conveyor means; and f. leveling means independentlycontrolling said conveyor means including said horizontal screw andadditional screw conveyor means whereby said conveyor means may operateindependently of said drum and being effective to operate said conveyormeans intermittently as required to maintain a predetermined level ofmaterial in said container, said leveling means including a shaftmounted for rotation independent of, within and extending the length ofsaid hub, said shaft having one forward end extending into said druminterior and having mounted thereon a rotatable sensing member forcontacting and sensing the level of said material and controlling therotative position of said shaft according to such level, said shafthaving a rearward end mounting switch actuating means controlled by therotative position of said shaft, and electric drive means controlled bysaid switch-actuating means for simultaneously driving said screwconveyor means during those times when said sensing member rotateswithin some predetermined angular range corresponding to a deplenishedsupply of material in said drum.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1and including at a packet opening position located proximate and abovesaid second station a packet opening means, said opening meanscomprising a pair of spaced blocks providing opposed surfaces betweenwhich the unsealed top edge portions of said packets may be drawn, saidsurfaces having a plurality of openings adapted to discharge air andproduce an air-suction effect and means to convey pressurized air tosaid surfaces for discharge through said surface openings to cause saidedge portions to be sucked outwardly and said packets opened for fillingprior to said second station.
 3. An apparatus for dividing fluidmaterial into uniform units and for packaging the units, comprising: a.a hollow cylindrical filling drum having a peripheral body portion andcontaining a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units;b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trapchambers formed in said peripheral body portion of said drum forrotation as an integral filling structure around a central horizontalaxis, each chamber having a hollow housing formed with said peripheralbody portion and a helical screw member having its axis orientedparallel to said central axis and fixed within said housing, each saidchamber providing an open elongated fluid material flow path formed bysaid screw member and extending between an inlet communicating with theinterior of said drum and an outlet laterally displaced along said flowpath, said screw member being dimensioned to measure said unit; c. meansfor rotating said filling structure at a uniform predetermined speed andin a constant direction Around said central axis, each chamber beingadapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respectiveinlet with the interior of said drum at a first rotative station, toreceive a portion of said fluid material into said flow path, todischarge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from saidfirst station all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material,and to guide said unit along said flow path towards said outlet underthe influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamberrotates at said speed towards a second rotative station whereby saidunit is discharged from said outlet during passage of said chamber pastsaid second station; d. a storage receptacle containing a volume of saidmaterial; e. conveyor means arranged to convey said material from saidreceptacle to said drum along a conveying path which conveying path atthe drum receiving end includes horizontal screw conveyor meanscomprising a helical conveyor screw surrounding a hollow hub and adaptedfor rotation independent of said drum around said central axis andcommunicating at its discharge end with said drum interior and at itsintake end with said storage receptacle; and f. leveling meansindependently controlling said conveyor means including said horizontalscrew conveyor means whereby said conveyor means may operateindependently of said drum and being effective to operate said conveyormeans intermittently as required to maintain a predetermined level ofmaterial in said container, said leveling means including a shaftmounted for rotation independent of, within and extending the length ofsaid hub, said shaft having one forward end extending into said druminterior and having mounted thereon a rotatable sensing member forcontacting and sensing the level of said material and controlling therotative position of said shaft according to such level, said shafthaving a rearward end mounting switch actuating means controlled by therotative position of said shaft, and electric drive means controlled bysaid switch-actuating means for simultaneously driving said screwconveyor means during those times when said sensing member rotateswithin some predetermined angular range corresponding to a deplenishedsupply of material in said drum.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3wherein said storage receptacle is located below and stores saidmaterial below the level of said horizontal screw conveyor means andsaid conveyor means comprises in addition to said horizontal screwconveyor means an operatively associated additional screw conveyor meanscommunicating at one lower end with the material in said storagereceptacle and the other end with the intake end of said horizontalscrew conveyor means, and said leveling means simultaneously controlsboth said horizontal and additional screw conveyor means independentlyof said drum.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and including at apacket opening position located proximate and above said second stationa packet opening means, said opening means comprising a pair of spacedblocks providing opposed surfaces between which the unsealed top edgeportions of said packet may be drawn, said surfaces having a pluralityof openings adapted to discharge air and produce an air suction effectproximate said opposed surfaces and surrounding said top edge portionsand means to convey pressurized air to said surfaces for dischargethrough said surface openings to cause said edge portions to be suckedoutwardly toward said opposed surfaces and said packets opened forfilling prior to said second station.